Of Cases and Vacations
by Queen Hotaru
Summary: When 2 of the CSIs go on vacation together in Dallas, they don't expect to be working at the same time. But do they have a choice? S/R and a little C/G (summary is awful, but read please anyway) This story is a collaberative work with my friend April!
1. Prologue

Of Cases and Vacations

Prologue

by Abby and April

  
  


Authors Notes: Hey, this is Abby (aka Queen Hotaru). Ok, here's how it goes. This story was written by me and my friend April. Whoever's name comes first at the by-line at the top of the story chapter (ie: by Abby and April) is the person who wrote this specific Chapter. I wrote this, the prologue. Have fun!

-Abby ^_^

~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Sara sat in the break room with Nick. It was a slow night, surprisingly, no cases had been reported, which meant that the CSIs had (until a case did come in) a free night.

  
  


Nick looked over at Sara, they had been planning this for several months and they had finally decided now was the time to ask.

  
  


The two stood up and walked towards Grissom's office, both thinking the best way of wording their request.

  
  


When Nick and Sara reached their destination, they looked at each other again, before knocking on the door of the supervisor's office.

  
  


"Come in," was what they heard before entering.

  
  


Grissom looked up from the file he was looking over as his door opened.

  
  


"Nick, Sara, come in, sit down."

  
  


Of course the two CSIs did this.

  
  


"Now what can I help you two with something?" Grissom asked. Instantly, he noticed Sara nod to Nick. Puzzled, Grissom waited for one of them to speak.

  
  


"Gris, we want to request some time off," Nick started.

  
  


"At the same time," Sara finished.

  
  


Grissom looked at them quizzically.

  
  


"You what?"

  
  


"We want time off, at the same time," Sara repeated.

  
  


Now this wasn't a complete shock to Gil Grissom, he had noticed that Sara and Nick had taken interest in each other, and, according to local rumor at the lab, they had been seeing one another. He had no problem with one of them taking time off... but two at the same time?

  
  


"I don't think I can allow that," Grissom started.

  
  


"Huh?" Sara asked.

  
  


"I'm not sure the lab could afford two CSIs to be off at the same time."

  
  


None of the three occupants of the room noticed Catherine leaning against the doorframe.

  
  


"Oh, just give them the time off, Gil," Catherine said, smiling slightly.

  
  


Grissom, Nick, and Sara looked up as Catherine continued.

  
  


"Gil, if Sara and Nick take time off, we'll be able to handle it just fine. You, me and Warrick will still be here, and if necessary we can steal the few good people Ecklie's got from the day shift. Give them the time off; you and I both know that they both deserve it."

  
  


Grissom looked from Catherine to Nick and Sara.

  
  


He sighed and said, "Fine. When do you want it?"

  
  


Sara turned and smiled at Catherine. The older, wiser CSI had saved hers and Nick's plans once again.

  
  


"Next week?" Nick asked.

  
  


"Too soon," Grissom said.

  
  


"A week and a half?" Sara questioned.

  
  


"That's fine."

  
  


"Thanks Gris," Sara said, before she and Nick stood up and walked out of the office.


	2. Chapter 1

Of Cases and Vacations

Chapter 1

by April and Abby

  
  


A week and a half later, Sara got out her suitcase, but stopped short. She had no idea what to pack and, for the first time in a long time, she was terrified. What if they didn't like her? What if something went wrong? Nick's parents meant a lot to him; she didn't know what would happen if they didn't like her. She only knew one person that would understand how she felt; there was only one person that could help her in this situation. She walked to the phone and dialed.

  
  
  
  


Catherine Willows was with Warrick Brown, waiting for Grissom, when she answered her phone.

  
  


"Catherine?" She heard Sara's voice on the other end.

  
  


"Yeah. What's wrong?"

  
  


"Can you come help me?"

  
  


She thought about the first time she'd met a boyfriend's parents; she wished that she could have met Grissom's mother.

  
  


"Yeah. I'll be there in ten."

  
  


Warrick looked at her when she hung up.

  
  


"Sara. Just tell Grissom I couldn't make it. He's already upset enough about this." She said, knowing that he would keep her secret.

  
  


Warrick nodded. He knew what Sara and Nick's plans were for the vacation and he was nervous for his friend as well. He was Nick's best friend in Vegas and even he hadn't met Nick's parents yet. Sara wasn't the easiest person to get along with upon first meeting her, but she wore you down quickly. He also knew that Grissom was having a hard time with Sara and Nick being together, not just because of work, and not, as Ecklie said, because Grissom had an interest in her himself, but because Grissom viewed her as a daughter that he didn't want to grow up.

  
  


"Tell her I said good luck."

  
  


Catherine nodded and hurried out.

  
  
  
  


Nick had already packed and was waiting for the phone call from Sara, telling him she was ready to go. He looked at his watch: it would be seven there, but he knew his parents well enough to know that his mother was awake, at least, probably his father too. He picked up the phone and dialed what had once been his home.

  
  


"Lydia Stokes." His mother answered the phone and he smiled.

  
  


"Mom?"

  
  


"Nick? Where are you?" He had told her that they planned on leaving after the shift, but they didn't know exactly when yet.

  
  


"Still in Vegas. Sara's having trouble packing."

  
  


"Well, I'm on my way into the office, but Bryan took today off too. I need to finish this case." Lydia was a defense attorney, popular in Texas, and Bryan, Nick's father, was a Texas Supreme Court judge. "Oh, Lizzie's the only one who can make it. I hope that Sara won't mind too much."

  
  


Secretly, Nick was relieved. Meeting his parents would be mind boggling enough, but meeting all of his sisters, plus his brother, their spouses and children, while trying to keep them straight, would be impossible on first meeting. He and Lizzie, the sister that was closest to his age, were the only ones that didn't have a family of their own.

  
  


"I don't think she will. Mom, you did remember that Sara and I are staying in a hotel, right? You didn't go to any extra trouble?" He winced, bracing himself for the storm he knew that was coming.

  
  


"Nick, I wish that you two would stay with us. It's not any extra trouble." She had calmed down considerably about it.

  
  


"Mom, it's going to be confusing enough for her. I think we could all use some quiet time at the end of the day." He knew he could. He loved both of his parents, but they drove him crazy if he was around them for too long, one of the reasons he'd moved to Vegas instead of staying in Dallas. Come to think of it, Lizzie was the only one that still lived in Texas.

  
  


"Well, all right. We're both looking forward to seeing you and meeting Sara."

  
  


Nick smiled.

  
  


"We're looking forward to being there." Well, he was at least. He knew that Sara was scared; he was already scared thinking about having to meet her mother at Christmas. "Mom, promise you won't drag out any of the old slides or anything."

  
  


"Of course not. I promise. Just photo albums."

  
  


He smiled, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of laughing, knowing that she was joking. He'd heard horror stories about how his grandparents had behaved when his parents met in law school.

  
  


"See you, Mom."

  
  


"See you too. Be careful!"

  
  


She worried about them driving from Vegas after a long shift, but Nick had insisted they could handle it. Deep down, she was a little intimidated already by how much her son seemed to love Sara. He was her baby and she wasn't quite sure if she was ready to lose him completely. Oh, well, she still had Lizzie and it looked like she always would, she sighed, exasperated with her daughter.


	3. Chapter 2

Of Cases and Vacations

Chapter 2

by April and Abby

  
  


Disclaimer: Don't own ANY of the CSI characters. simple as that.

  
  


AN: Ok, April and I did this chapter on AIM so we did it together, I just decided to put April's name first! Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~

  
  


Catherine knocked on the door and Sara ran to answer it.

  
  


"Thank God. I need help." Sara panicked.

  
  


"Calm down, Sara, it's not like the world is going to end. Take a breath, and we can get to work once you've calmed down," Catherine said.

  
  


"The world is going to end, Cath. You know how much he loves his parents. What if…well, you remember how you and Warrick reacted when I first got here. I rub people the wrong way."

  
  


"I always thought that it was hardest for the boyfriend to meet the girlfriend's parents, I guess I was wrong. But Sara, there's no way you can mess this up, just show Nick's parents how you are, don't fake it. I bet he'll tell you the same thing."

  
  


Sara struggled to breathe. "They'll probably be like Nick, right, and Nick likes me. So everything will be all right."

  
  


"Exactly. Now have you calmed down?" Catherine asked, although she could tell the answer.

  
  


"Enough to get packed. I already packed the necessary basics, but I don't know what clothes to wear."

  
  


"Did you check the weather in Dallas?"

  
  


"No, but Nick said it'll be like here in May and it's not supposed to rain."

  
  


"Well, that gives us some guidelines," Catherine thought for a moment. "So it's cool here in the evenings, but somewhat warm midday."

  
  


"70s at night, 80s or 90s during the day. Don't look at me, that's what he said."

  
  


Sara and Catherine looked at each other.

  
  


"Shorts. Definitely shorts." Catherine said.

  
  


"Yeah, but what if I need something besides shorts? All the dresses I have are long, don't ask me why, it's not like I haven't lived in California or Nevada most of my life." She thought. "Oh, wait a minute." She ran to her closet, Catherine following. "What about this?" She held up a black sundress that was simple, but Catherine could tell how beautiful it would look.

  
  


"It'll do." She said smiling.

  
  


"Cath, I'm still nervous. I mean, my parents were ex-hippies. I raised them more than they raised me. Nick's dad is a federal judge, his mom is a defense attorney, and he has one brother and five sisters. All except his youngest sister are married with kids. What if I forget a name? What if the kids don't like me?"

  
  


"Sara, calm down; you're over reacting again. From what you just said, work with crimes seems to run in Nick's family, you should fit right in. How many siblings did you say Nick had?" Catherine asked, she had been trying to process so much information she hadn't caught the end of Sara's desperate questions.

  
  


"One brother and five sisters, all of which except for his youngest sister are married with kids and, Cath, you know most kids don't like me."

  
  


"Don't generalize, Sara. Do you even know the ages of the kids? Maybe you'll like some of them, maybe even they'll be interested in you; sort of like pesky little brothers or sisters who try and find out about their elder sibling's date."

"Nick's the baby, I know that. I think they're all Lindsay's age or younger."

  
  


"Well, Lindsay likes you," Catherine said, matter-of-factly.

  
  


"That's just because we made chocolate chip cookies for Nick and Grissom when you were in Miami." Sara said, always unsure of herself around people. Science she understood perfectly, people not too well.

  
  


"Well I didn't hear about that one," Catherine started, "But if doing that got Linds to like you, why not do the same thing with Nick's nieces and nephews? It sounds like it'll work." She joked.

  
  


"Because Nick will eat them before we get down there." Sara joked as well. The phone rang and she reluctantly picked it up. "Hello? Oh, hi. Ten minutes? Okay. Yeah, me too." She hung up and looked back at Catherine. "Nick will be here in ten."

  
  


"Just calm down, Sara. You'll be fine."

  
  


Sara sat down on the bed next to her suitcase. "You know, this isn't the first time I've gone home to meet someone's parents, but Nick…I love him, Catherine. I'm just always so afraid that I'll screw it up."

  
  


"Sara, you can't screw this up... I mean, I know your humor can be stiff at times, but you're doing this to have fun. If you think you messed up, which you probably didn't, then play it off as a joke. Nick will still love you no matter what," Catherine told her. "So with all those siblings and nieces and nephews, where are you two gonna stay?"

  
  


"Well, Nick told his mother that we were going to stay at a hotel."

  
  


"Sounds nice. So are you sure you and Nick are ok driving all the way to Texas today? I mean you're both tired from shift last night." 

  
  


Sara nodded. "Yeah. We're going to trade off. Cath, thanks for all of this. I mean, we wouldn't even be going if you hadn't talked to Grissom. Why'd you do that, anyway?"

  
  


"No problem, and do you want the long reason, or the compacted shorter version?" 

  
  


"Either. Both. Whichever."

  
  


"Well, I know it's been a while since Nick took a day off, I don't think that you've EVER taken a day off," Catherine laughed a little as Sara faked-frowned. "Just kidding about the last part. I know that Nick's been missing his folks, he talks about them all the time. Also I know that you two, as much as you try, don't get to see each other as much as you'd like outside of work, due to fact that as a human you need sleep. I figured that you and Nick deserved a vacation, so I just gave Gil a push."

  
  


Sara smiled, revealing the tiny gap. "Thank you, Catherine."

  
  


"Hey, no problem," Catherine smiled back, and looked at her watch. "Nick will be here any minute."

  
  


Neither woman had noticed Nick standing in the doorway until he spoke.

  
  


"He's all ready here. Are you ready?" He asked, gently smiling at Sara, who nodded. "I'll take your bag out and put it in the back."

  
  


He went outside again, giving Sara the time to impulsively hug Catherine, which surprised the blonde. Sara was never affectionate, she preferred, as Grissom did, much subtler ways of telling people how she felt, like working so Catherine could be with Lindsay or taking care of Nick when he needed someone.

  
  


Sara and Catherine walked out of the apartment, Sara locking the door behind them. 

  
  


"Well, have fun Sara," Catherine said, as she got into her car. "See you when you get back."

  
  


Sara nodded as she climbed into the Tahoe. Nick was waiting and she took his hand in hers as he began to drive.


End file.
